Vegan Caesar Salad

Recipe by Brittany Mueller

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Creamy dressing, crispy breaded tofu and crunchy Ciabatta croutons make this the perfect vegan caesar to sink your teeth into. Created by Brittany Mueller.

Ingredients

8 cups chopped romaine lettuce, about 3 heads
1/4 cup Daiya Creamy Caesar Dairy-Free Dressing, (or recipe below)
1 recipe Crispy Breaded Tofu, (below)
1 recipe Ciabatta Croutons, (below)
Cracked black pepper, to taste
Lemon wedges, for serving
Crispy Breaded Tofu
1 slices block of firm or extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/2”, 350g
3/4 tsp sea salt, divided
4 Tbsp all-purpose flour, divided (or gluten free all-purpose flour)
3 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup breadcrumbs, or gluten free breadcrumbs
Ciabatta Croutons
2 cups cubed ciabatta bread, or gluten free bread
1 Tbsp olive oil
pinch sea salt
Caesar Dressing
3 Tbsp vegan mayo
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, about 1 small lemon
2 Tbsp Daiya Cutting Board Parmesan Style Shreds, finely chopped
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Cracked black pepper, add more to taste
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp Green Olives, mashed into a paste
1/4 cup canola oil

Instructions

Crispy Breaded Tofu:

1. Generously salt both sides of the sliced tofu (about 1/2 tsp total). Lay tofu between two kitchen towels and place a heavy, flat-bottomed object on top. Set aside for 20 minutes to remove excess moisture.

2. Preheat oven to 425°F.

3. Line up 3 bowls. In the first bowl, add 2 tbsp flour. In the second bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp flour, 3 tbsp water, 2 tbsp canola oil, and 1/4 tsp salt. In the third bowl, add 1/2 cup breadcrumbs.

4. Dip each piece of tofu into the flour, followed by the water/flour mixture, and then into the breadcrumbs (ensuring that each piece is fully coated). (Tip: use one hand for the dry ingredients and the other hand for the wet.) Transfer tofu to a baking sheet.

5. Bake tofu for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden-brown and crispy.

Ciabatta Croutons:

1. In a large bowl, mix cubed ciabatta with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with a pinch of salt.

2. Transfer croutons to a baking sheet.

3. Bake for 10 minutes, tossing halfway through, until the outsides are crispy and golden-brown.

Caesar Dressing:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together mayo, lemon juice, Parmesan Shreds, nutritional yeast, garlic, mustard, olive paste, and black pepper.

2. Very slowly add the canola oil while whisking vigorously to emulsify the dressing. Pause as needed to make sure that all the oil is whisked in before adding more. The dressing will thicken as you go. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Assembling the Caesar Salad:

1. Cut the crispy tofu into slices.

2. In a large bowl, toss the lettuce with enough Caesar dressing to coat. Add more dressing to taste.

3. Top with crispy tofu, croutons, and Daiya Parmesan Shreds.

4. Season with cracked black pepper and serve with a wedge of lemon.

Brittany Mueller is a Canadian recipe developer and food photographer. Find her, and more delicious vegan recipes, at I Love Vegan.

Tips for cooking with Daiya

45 min

Total Time

20 min

Prep Time

25 min